Chapter 16: Li Bai's Shortcomings (First Part)

  The shopkeeper's behavior was too abnormal, and Li Changguo was greatly surprised.

  Just as he was about to express his astonishment, the shopkeeper's face turned bright red, his chest heaving violently, his breathing heavy, louder than a cow panting after running dozens of miles. His hands pointed at Li Bai, unable to speak for half a day.

  "Could it be that Li Hanlin drank his wine without paying? Why is he blushing as if he had seen an enemy?" Gao Miaoli's beautiful eyes were wide with excitement, completely disregarding her image.

  "It can't be, Li Hanlin has a noble character, he won't freeload." If Li Changguo didn't believe in Li Bai's good character, he would think the same way as Gao Miaoli.

  "Zou Zhanggui, we meet again. Do you still remember me?" Just as Li Changguo and Gao Miaoli were whispering to each other, they saw Li Bai smile slightly at the shopkeeper and greet him.

  "Li Hanlin!"

  The shopkeeper suddenly raised his head to the sky, let out a loud roar, and the sound waves rushed straight into the sky, even louder than Li Changguo's roar.

  "Shh..." Gao Li covered her ears and gave Zhou the shopkeeper a white-eyed glance, saying displeased: "Hey, can you keep your voice down?"

  "Li Hanlin, is that really you?" Zou Zhanggu looked as if he hadn't heard Gao Miaoli's accusation, his face full of expectation as he sized up Li Bai, waiting for confirmation.

  "Don't you recognize me?" Li Bai asked back.

  "Li Hanlin has arrived! Li Hanlin has arrived!" Zhou the shopkeeper clenched his fists and waved them in the air, shouting loudly: "It's Li Hanlin! Li Hanlin is visiting me again! I'm so honored, it's the accumulated virtue of my ancestors for eight generations!"

  Gao Mei Li's eyes were filled with an unbelievable expression, she absolutely did not expect that Li Bai would come in person. This shopkeeper Zhou was so excited, even more excited than seeing his ancestors.

  Li Changguo was also somewhat surprised, but after thinking about it, he felt that this was normal, for who else could be the Poet Immortal Li Bai?

  Think about it, in the future, all Chinese people are fans of Li Bai, whether they are historical giants, emperors and generals, high-ranking officials, or ordinary citizens, street vendors, peddlers, as soon as someone mentions Li Bai, who doesn't speak with reverence and say "Li Bai..."

  "Haha!"

  Li Bai smiled slightly, having seen such things many times before, and didn't take it to heart: "Zou shopkeeper, your memory is really good, you still remember me."

  "Can I ever forget? I will never forget for the rest of my life..." Zou Zhanggui's face was flushed with excitement, his voice louder than thunder: "That day, Li Hanlin was slightly drunk on my boat, and Li Guinian brought people to look for you. On the shore, he dispatched imperial guards to loudly call out 'Li Hanlin! Li Hanlin!' Li Hanlin opened his drunken eyes and said 'I'm drunk, please go.' Li Guinian was very displeased and said 'It's His Majesty who has summoned you to write a poem for the noble consort, how can you speak such nonsense?'"

  Li Bai wrote a poem for Yang Guifei while drunk is a beautiful story, spread all over the world, passed down through generations, who would have thought it actually happened here, on this boat, no wonder Zhou Zhanggui was so excited.

  Anyone else would be just as excited as he is, if not more so.

  "Li Hanlin waved his hand and said, 'I am the Wine Immortal, the Wine Immortal, a thousand cups won't get me drunk, ten thousand cups won't knock me down. Shopkeeper, bring wine!' Zou shopkeeper remembered it particularly clearly, narrating it in detail, extremely moving: 'Li Guiyuan had no choice but to order the imperial guards to carry Li Hanlin away. As soon as Li Hanlin entered the palace, he took advantage of his intoxication to write a good poem for the noble consort: Clouds think of clothes and flowers think of faces, spring breeze brushes the railing dew is thick. If not on Mount Yun's peak seeing each other, would meet under the moon at the Jade Terrace... Good poem! Good poem!"

  Later on, he nodded and shook his head, but I didn't know if he really understood the poem.

  Gao Miao Li's small mouth was wide open, unable to close for a long time, her face filled with excitement.

  Li Bai's drunken poem for Yang Guifei had long been spread throughout the land, and people praised it. She never thought that she would be lucky enough to hear the person himself recount the experience, which was even more exciting than hearing rumors.

  "This..."

  Li Changguo was both excited and surprised, this matter was written by the Poet Sage as "Li Bai fought with wine and poetry for a hundred years, in the city of Chang'an, he slept in a tavern. The Son of Heaven called him but he wouldn't board the boat, claiming to be an immortal in the realm of wine." This famous phrase has been passed down through the ages, leaving countless people in awe: the great poet Li Bai had such a carefree and uninhibited side, with a proud and arrogant spirit that didn't put emperors in his eyes, daring to challenge them.

  "The wine here is good, I've come again today." Li Bai said with a smile.

  "Please! Slap!" Zhou Zhanggui uttered a word, suddenly found that one please was not enough to express his respect for Li Bai, and slapped himself hard on the ear, making a crisp sound, and hastily changed his words: "Quickly invite! Hurry up and have an invitation!"

  He stood up straight at a ninety-degree angle, and with great enthusiasm welcomed the arrival of Li Bai: "Li Hanlin opened his arms wide and said, 'I invite you!'"

  Someone like Li Bai can come here to drink, and he is particularly fond of the wine here, which is a blessing that has been accumulated over eight lifetimes. He would be willing to spend all his wealth on it just for this reason.

  "Please!"

  Li Bai called out to Li Changguo and Gao Miaoli, who followed Zhou Zhanggui onto the painted barge.

  Inside the painted barge, there were quite a few diners, eating and drinking. When the wine reached its peak, they loudly discussed whether or not to attack Shi Bocheng. After Xiao Bolu was defeated, the situation in Anxi Duhufu was extremely optimistic, so naturally, the Tang people would discuss Shi Bocheng.

  "Li Hanlin has arrived!"

  Zou Zhanggui stepped into the painting boat and shouted in a loud voice: "The Li Hanlin, who was summoned by the emperor but refused to board the ship, has arrived!"

  "Li Hanlin?" Suddenly, the entire boat fell silent, with all eyes fixed on Li Bai, their faces filled with incredulity.

  Li Bai is a famous figure, but he's like a divine dragon, you can't see him easily. It's not easy to meet him even if you're a guest who has just arrived, and it's really difficult for the host to suddenly accept this unexpected good fortune.

  "It's really Li Hanlin!"

  Someone recognized Li Bai and shouted loudly, instantly triggering a burst of exclamations, the sound wave was so loud that it almost shook the boat.

  The guests surrounded him, with Li Bai in the middle, each and every one of them had an expectant look on their faces, excited to the point of being unable to contain themselves, as if they were seeing an ancestor.

  "Li Hanlin, we have come here for a feast, and it's all because of your reputation."

  "Li Hanlin, can you tell us about the scene when you entered the palace to write poetry for the noble concubine?"

  "The Emperor's call, but not on board" is an eternal legend. Although Li Bai has gone far away, his reputation remains. These guests have come for this reason, which is also the reason why this boat business is particularly prosperous.

  Nowadays, these foodies suddenly see Li Bai, can't they be eager to talk to Li Bai? Can't they ask Li Bai about the scene of writing poetry that day?

  "Don't ask for now, let me serve the wine and dishes first. Please have a drink, Mr. Li, and you can ask later." Zou Zhanggui served them personally, like he was serving his ancestors, and brought out a table of sumptuous food and wine, inviting Li Bai to take a seat.

  Li Changguo and Gao Miaoli also sat down, those diners looked at the two of them with admiration on their faces, wishing they could exchange places with Li Changguo. To be able to dine at the same table as a poetic immortal was what an honor!

  "On that day, after entering the palace, I was in high spirits and poetic inspiration struck me, so I took up my pen to compose a poem... Li Bai couldn't resist the enthusiasm of his hosts, and after downing three large cups in succession, he began to recount the events of that day: 'After finishing the poem, Gao Lishi presented it to His Majesty, who personally adjusted the composition and then bestowed it upon me to eat. After I finished drinking the soup, I stretched out my right foot towards Gao Lishi, asking him to remove my boots..."

  Every guest had a face full of admiration and excitement, as if it was not Li Bai's honor, but something that happened to them.

  "Li Bai is fine in every way, except that he doesn't know how to handle things, this is his shortcoming. Such matters can only be done and not spoken of, actually it's best not to do them at all." Li Changguo furrowed his brow.